Story+1990-11-16+Los+Angeles,+CA

”I’d like to thank everyone for coming down tonight.....I’d like to say, it sounds a little funny but it’s been awhile since I did this so if you’re moved to clap along, please don’t....it’s gonna mix me up.....”
 * 16.11.90 Los Angeles, CA, intro to‘Brilliant Disguise’:**

”Thanks....I’d appreciate, uh.....if during the songs I’d get just a little bit quiet so I can concentrate.....”
 * 16.11.90 Los Angeles, CA, intro to ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town’:**

”When I was a little boy.....my daddy’d take me for this ride with him.....”
 * 16.11.90 Los Angeles, CA, intro to ‘Mansion on the Hill’:**

(someone in the audience yells ‘We love you, Bruce!’) But you don’t really know me (cheers).....uh....I’m glad to be here tonight for the Christic Institute so (cheers)....over the past decade....our country has been sold an illusion of itself.....and uh.....for me, the Christic Institute.....is in process of trying to make us all grow up.....everybody (cheers).....and uh......this song is about the price.....that blind faith.....and refusing to give up your illusions.....extracts....from you.....”
 * 16.11.90 Los Angeles, CA, intro to ‘Reason to Believe’:**

”It’s funny, Jackson and Bonnie and I, we met about, uh....almost 20 years ago, I was playing at Max’s Kansas City (cheers).....and this fella.....David Blue came....and pulled me off stage....and said ‘Man, you gotta come downtown with me´....Jackson was playing at the Bitter End, Bonnie was playing across the street at the Cafe Au Go Go and I got up and sang a song......and uh.....when we couldn’t get any jobs, Bonnie Raitt used to let me open up for her (chuckles)....she was so nice.....and she´s so good ....and she’s so sexy (cheers).....yeah, yesterday I came in, you know, I hadn’t seen her in a while, she kissed me right on the lips (cheers)....it was just a little kiss ....it was very, very....knowing.....life’s little thrills (cheers)....anyway I’m gonna dedicate this tonight to, uh.....my two favorite red-heads.....”
 * 16.11.90 Los Angeles, CA, intro to ‘Red Headed Woman’:**

”Yeah....Lord.....(?)....yeah, this is about uh....loneliness....how there can be so much going on and nothing happening......how.....”
 * 16.11.90 Los Angeles, CA, intro to ‘57 Channels’:**

”Oh, thanks.....yeah, yeah.....I used to, uh.....I used to uh......I had this habit for a long....time, I used to get....in my car and I would drive back thru my old neighbour-hood in the town I grew up in....and uh....I’d always drive past the old house I used to live in.....and I’d do it and sometimes late at night if I was.....when I used to be up at nights (chuckles)....and uh.....and uh.....I got so I would do it really regularly....for two or three, four times a week....for years.....and I eventually got to wondering .....’What the hell am I doing ?’ (chuckles).....so I went to see a psychiatrist (laughter) ....and uh....this is true (chuckles)....and uh.....and uh....you know, I sat down and I said, you know, ‘Doc, for years I been getting in my car....at night, drive back to my town..... and I pass my houses late at night.....and you know, what am I doing ?’ ..... and he said ‘I want you to tell me what you think you’re doing’ (laughter).....so I go ‘That’s what I’m paying you for’.....so he says ‘Well.....what you’re doing’, he says, ‘Something bad happened...and you’re going back.....you know, thinking you can make it right again.....something, something went wrong and you keep going back..... to see if you can fix it....or somehow make it right’.....and I sat there and I said.... ’That is what I’m doing’.....and he said ‘Well, you can’t’......”
 * 16.11.90 Los Angeles, CA, intro to ‘My Father’s House’:**

”Used to have this girlfriend.....ah.....who rode one of those elephants.....in the Ringling Brothers Circus.....nice girl (laughter).....”
 * 16.11.90 Los Angeles, CA, intro to ‘Wild Billy’s Circus Story’:**

(chuckles)”(?) any bad notes are intentional in this, so (chuckles).....”
 * 16.11.90 Los Angeles, CA, intro to ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze Out’:**

”This is a song I wrote....I don’t even know exactly.....why I wrote it....I wrote.... when I did the Nebraska album, I....really.....didn’t think anything about whatever its... political implications were so, uh.....until I read about it in the newspapers (chuckles)... said ‘Oh’....but you know (chuckles)....but something I was feeling moved me to write all these songs at that time.....where people lose their connection to their friends and their families and their jobs.....and their countries and their lives don’t make sense to them no more.....and all the....all the rules go out the window.....”
 * 16.11.90 Los Angeles, CA, intro to ‘Nebraska’:**

”Wanna dedicate this to, uh......Danny Sheridan who came over my house......got me down here tonight.....”
 * 16.11.90 Los Angeles, CA, intro to ‘When the Lights Go Out’:**

(Bruce forgets the lyrics) ”I knew this would happen (chuckles).....”
 * 16.11.90 Los Angeles, CA, middle of ‘Thunder Road’:**

”Thank you.....ah.....and I have the words in front of me on this (chuckles)(cheers)..... you know, great.....oh so....I was uh....got my kid, Patti and I (?) (cheers).....it’s funny....changes, you know, all the cliches, it changes the way you think about everything and all that stuff....and uh.....I remember the night.....Patti had the baby and you know it was like I was a little nervous and she was getting those contractions and....(?) gone through lamaze and all that stuff.....(?) you oughta know.....so uh.....I figured....the situation would get tense so.....I should, it was kinda my responsobility to lighten the things up....I stopped in this drugstore....during the day, I was looking for like a jokebook or something (laughter).....sounds stupid but it.....seemed like a good idea at the time (laughter)....and uh.....and uh.....I found this book , ‘How to Be an Italian ?’, you know (chuckles)(cheers).....it’s a very funny book, in a stupid kinda way, you know (chuckles)....so I said ‘Gee, when it gets really....tight, I’ll crack out some Italian jokes’ (laughter)....I didn’t get to it, you know....the baby came, you know, Patti was....beautiful and uh.....uh....bellissimo, that´s the word (chuckles) (cheers).....anyway, I wanna do this for my kid and for your kids...and.....for daddies and mummies too....”
 * 16.11.90 Los Angeles, CA, intro to ‘My Hometown’:**

//Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi//